Musicians

Ariana is a unique performer and composer of heartfelt music in both Te Reo Māori and English. She draws on folk and pop styles with a strong emphasis on Māori chant. Although now living in Wellington, her music in inspired and influenced by her Māori ancestry and the dramatic landscape of Te Waipounamu – The South Island of New Zealand.

Ariana completed a summer tourette with her band Emeralds and Greenstone in February and March of this year. On February 22^nd she touched the nation with her rendition of Whakaaria Mai for the Christchurch Earthquake Memorial event in Hagley Park, televised live and broadcast internationally. She also performed recently at the NZ Hat and Hair Art Awards in the Timaru Theatre Royal.

Last year Ariana was a featured artist on the Ihimaera album with some of the country’s top recording artists. She also played the song live in the Auckland Arts Festival for the Ihimaera Show.  

She also completed a nationwide tour for the month of November 2011 with two other Ngai Tahu musicians Mahina-ina Kaui and Christine White as Voices of Our Ancestors, under the umbrella of Arts on Tour NZ.

In 2010 Ariana completed a tour of New Zealand to rave reviews with singer-songwriter Hannah Howes for the “Wahine Toa” tour. That year she performed her Ohaki (multi-media) show, featuring Richard Nunns, to standing ovations in Christchurch and Nelson.

In 2008 she released her second solo album ‘Tuia’ meaning 'stitched' – a metaphor for the connections between people, within and across generations. It is a bilingual album featuring production from award-winning producer Leyton, whose sparse electronic sound provides an engaging and gorgeous background for Ariana’s beautiful voice. In 2009 her video for Tuia, made by Louise Potiki Bryant, won an international award at the imagiNATIVE film + media festival in Toronto in 2009, for best music video.

In March-April 2008 Ariana was Musician in Residence at the Centre for New Zealand Studies, at the University of London, Birkbeck, after being awarded a $10,000 Creative New Zealand grant. While in London she established music industry links and collaborated with London-based New Zealand musicians, including members of Ngāti Rānana.

In 2008 Ariana was a featured soloist in the WOW Wearable Arts Awards in Wellington, and also performed in the prestigious Pao Pao Pao event in the Wellington Town Hall. At this event, Ariana was presented with an achievement award from Toi Maori.

Since beginning her music career in Christchurch with folk duo Pounamu in 1993, to launching her solo career and releasing her debut solo album Whaea in 2002, Ariana has consistently produced beautiful and moving music that contributes to the growing corpus of contemporary Maori music.

What others have said about Tuia:

“An amazing combination of roots, electronica and soulful vocals”. Fleur Jack, Tearaway Magazine

“…a magical and at times mystical trip… like being bundled up in a big feather cloak and transported to another world”. Scott Kara, Weekend Herald

“Tikao’s cultural heritage permeates this fine album with the true spirit of Aotearoa” Seth Jordon, Songlines, UK

“Haunting and ethereal. Lovely” Lopa Kothari, BBC Radio 3, UK

“Ariana has knitted together the diverse elements of her own background to create something special” fRoots, UK

Recent live reviews

“Christchurch’s Ariana Tikao has previously collaborated with tech maestro Leyton and his influence was evident in her performance. She has an undeniably powerful voice and the fusion of Maori language with electro-ambient embellishments hinted at old traditions being updated for a new audience...there is a sense of ethereality to Tikao’s song craft” The Press

“[Ariana Tikao is a] Christchurch-based singer-songwriter, whose haunting acoustic/ambient roots music has been gathering much acclaim. With material inspired by her Kai Tahu ancestors, Tikao’s set was extremely strong, with songs like Tuia and Stitched to You highlighting her beautiful voice and meaningful lyrics. Tikao knows the power of great arrangements and accompaniments, utilising Al Fraser’s mesmerising Taonga Puoro, and Woods’ thunderous percussion to give gravitas to her songs. Her own accompaniment was well placed, especially the Appalachian–style dulcimer on Something to Give, a reflective moment that highlighted the beauty and simplicity of the music and the performance. Tikao is a great storyteller, with Niwareka a highlight for me, retelling a tale of a woman’s journey from the Underworld to find love, and back again, an engaging message that we should always treat each other well, all to the backdrop of a foreboding synthesizer pattern, and insistent rhythmic drumming. Haunting and intelligent, Tikao’s music is definitely a treat.”  New Zealand Musician website

Awards/Achievements

Hineraukatauri Achievement Award, Toi Maori, 2008

Finalist Waiata Maori Awards 2008/2009

Finalist in RIANZ Folk Album of the Year Award 2009, for Emeralds & Greenstone album

Musician in Residence, Centre for NZ Studies, University of London, 2008 (Funded by Te Waka Toi, Creative NZ)

Winner best music video, imagiNATIVE film + media festival 2009, Toronto

Solo Albums

•           Tuia (2008) Funded by Te Waka Toi

•           Whaea (2002) Funded by Te Waka Toi & Te Mangai Paho

Other Albums

•           Emeralds and Greenstone (2008) with band Emeralds and Greenstone, distributed by Ode Records and Mihi (1996) with her group Pounamu

Music Videos

•           Tuia (2008)

•           Korakorako (2003)

•           Ka Huri te Wa (2002)

Distribution/Publishing

Tuia is distributed by Rhythmethod. Ariana is published by Native Tongue

Websites

MySpace www.myspace.com/arianatikao

Native Tongue Music Publishing http://nativetongue.co.nz/ariana-tikao.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ariana-Tikao/124361444307191

Contact

horomaka@actrix.co.nz 

+64 4 4765319

+64 274 535 738